RAMS NAB REPLACEMENTS FOR RB GURLEY, WR COOKS
Florida State’s Akers, Florida’s Jefferson spruce up offense
LOS ANGELES
The Los Angeles Rams drafted possible replacements for Todd Gurley and Brandin Cooks in the second round Friday night, grabbing Florida State running back Cam Akers with the 52nd overall pick and Florida receiver Van Jefferson with the 57th overall pick.
After sitting out the first round on Thursday, the Rams got rolling by replenishing their offensive skillposition talent, which has taken a hit along with every other level of the Rams’ roster in recent months.
The Rams then addressed another area of recent loss in the third round by adding Alabama edge rusher Terrell Lewis with the 84th overall pick.
The Rams released Gurley and traded Cooks in money-saving moves over the past several weeks, but they quickly found interesting prospects to take their roles in coach Sean Mcvay’s offense.
Although they drafted Darrell Henderson in the third round just last season, the Rams decided they needed another top ballcarrier after releasing Gurley, their starting running back and the NFL’S leader in touches and touchdowns over the past half-decade. Akers was among the draft’s top running back prospects after three years at Florida State.
“As far as filling Todd Gurley’s shoes, I’m just going to come in and play,” Akers
said in a video conference call from his childhood home in Mississippi. “Wherever the team needs me to be, whatever they need me to do, that’s what I’ll do.”
Akers was one of the most productive running backs in Seminoles history despite playing for the program in a time of upheaval and poor offensive line classes. He rushed for 1,144 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.
The Rams then grabbed Jefferson with the pick they acquired from Houston in the recent trade that sent Cooks to the Texans. Jefferson is coming off two productive seasons for the Gators after transferring to Gainesville from Ole Miss.
With their final pick of the night, No. 104 overall, the Rams selected Terrell Burgess, a safety from Utah who starred at San Marcos High. The Oceanside native started just three games in his first three seasons with the Utes but in 2019 became a key part of a defense that ranked No. 2 nationally in yards allowed.
Beacham writes for The Associated Press.